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Job overview
The Lead Speech and Language Therapist for Voice and Upper Airway Services will provide strategic, clinical and operational leadership for a highly specialist, evidence-based service across acute and community settings. The post holder will lead the development and delivery of integrated voice and upper airway pathways, ensuring seamless, patient-centred care from referral to discharge. Working autonomously and collaboratively with ENT and wider multidisciplinary teams, they will deliver advanced assessment and treatment for adults with voice, upper airway and swallowing disorders, support service transformation and innovation, and provide expert supervision, training and leadership to speech and language therapy staff. The role will contribute to service development, quality improvement and workforce development, while supporting the operational management of Speech and Language Therapy services and deputising for senior leaders as required.
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Main duties of the job
Lead and deliver a highly specialist, evidence-based SLT service for adults with voice, upper airway and swallowing disorders across acute and community settings.Develop and implement integrated voice and upper airway pathways, ensuring seamless patient care from referral to discharge.Provide advanced assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment and management for patients with complex voice and dysphagia needs.Support and contribute to Joint Voice Clinics, specialist ENT clinics and MDT swallowing clinics, working closely with ENT and wider MDT colleagues.Lead service development, quality improvement and pathway redesign initiatives, identifying opportunities to enhance patient outcomes and service efficiency.Provide expert advice and guidance to patients, carers and healthcare professionals on voice and swallowing disorders.Ensure effective triage and prioritisation of referrals to support timely assessment, intervention and discharge planning.Deliver clinical supervision, training, competency development and day-to-day leadership for SLT staff working within voice and dysphagia services.Collaborate with multidisciplinary and cross-organisational partners to support integrated service delivery and innovative models of care.Contribute to policy development, clinical governance, audit and service evaluation activities.Undertake operational, leadership and line management responsibilities as required, deputising for the Head of Service and supporting the wider SLT service.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will provide clinical, operational and professional leadership for the Voice and Upper Airway Speech and Language Therapy Service across acute and community settings. They will be responsible for delivering highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment for adults with complex voice, upper airway and swallowing disorders, while leading the development of integrated care pathways and innovative models of service delivery. The role includes working collaboratively with ENT and multidisciplinary colleagues, driving service improvement and transformation, providing expert clinical advice, and ensuring high standards of patient care. The post holder will also support workforce development through supervision, training and leadership of Speech and Language Therapy staff, contribute to governance and policy development, and provide operational support to the wider Speech and Language Therapy service, including deputising for senior leaders as required.
For further details please see the attached job description.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- • Advanced clinical knowledge and demonstrable skills in the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of complex voice and swallowing disorders. • Knowledge of voice and dysphagia assessment tools and a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group. • Knowledge of best practice in assessment and management of voice disorders and dysphagia. • Good working knowledge of national policies and procedures • Understanding of the roles of other professionals in supporting patients with voice disorders and/or dysphagia. • Understanding of the impact of local cultural, linguistic and demographic factors influencing service delivery. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. • Able to organise time effectively. • Able to work under pressure. • Able to adapt communication style to varied listeners, • Able to negotiate and manage difficult conversations. • Able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team. • IT skills to support clinical practice. • Ability to assess, identify and manage clinical risk appropriately. • Ability to critically evaluate service delivery and lead service planning.
Desirable
- • Excellent analytical and reflection skills • Research skills e.g. literature review, critical appraisal, qualitative and/or quantitative analysis.
Experience
Essential
- • Advanced specialist level of clinical skills and knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis and management voice disorders and dysphagia in adults. • Significant clinical experience working in community settings including patient homes, residential/nursing homes, community clinics as well as in MDT clinics • Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team. • Experience supporting/teaching placement students, newly-qualified SLTs and less experienced colleagues. • Experience of delivering in-service training and/or CPD relevant to the service area. • Evidence of maintaining relevant personal/professional development portfolio. • Understanding of clinical governance. • Experience of assisting service improvement, audit, or research relevant to voice and dysphagia. • Experience of leadership/service development relevant to voice and dysphagia.
Desirable
- • Experience supporting Voice Clinic jointly with ENT. • Experience of developing voice and/or dysphagia services in line with national policy. • Experience developing services jointly with ENT/other MDT stakeholders. • Experience of conducting or being involved in research in voice and/or dysphagia.
Qualifications
Essential
- • Speech and Language Therapy degree or equivalent. • Member of RCSLT. • HCPC Registration with Licence to Practise. • Completion of RCSLT Dysphagia competencies or equivalent. • Evidence of relevant post-graduate training in voice. • Working towards Master’s level of education or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- • Post-graduate education at Masters level in relevant clinical area(s). • Clinical Excellence Network (CEN) member in related clinical areas. • Completed FEES/endoscopy competencies.
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
- • Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s values. (As detailed in UHCW’s Values in Action document below) • Applicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Lead SLT for Voice and Upper Airways with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust in University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. It is listed as a Speech and Language Therapist role. The advertised salary is £57,528 - £64,750 pro rata per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 03 Sep 2026.
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